Valve



May 6, 1924. 1,493,133

R. SYKORA VALVE Filed Jan. 22. 1921 ruption of the flow while the shiftis being. 1

Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES RUDOLF SYKORA, or Bos'roN, MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE.

Original application filed February 11, 1920, Serial No. 357,778.Divided and this application filed January 22, 1.921.v

To all whom itmag concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLF SYKoRA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, county of Suflolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Valves, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an improvement in three-way valves. Thisapplication is a division of an application for a coloring machine,filed by me February 11, 1920, Serial No. 357,778.

In the ordinary three-way valve, a hollow plug is used having slots inits wall to the interior of the plug, and the liquid from the inlet pipehas to pass through one or the slots into the chamber in the interior ofthe plug and thence out of said chamber in the plug through one or bothof two other slots in the wall of the plug which lead to the outletpipes. Also, as usually constructed, when the plug is turned to cut offone outlet and open the other, there is an intermade.

One object of the invention is to produce a three-way valve in which aconstant volume is maintained at the outlet or outlets independent ofany variations in the effective area of either one of the outlets, thisbeing accomplished by varying the area of the two outlets by equalinverse ratios.

In carrying out this object, I provide a three-way valve in which thereis a' continuous flow, constant in volume, and to provide means wherebythe outflow may be entirely through either one or the other of the twooutlets, and which may be divided at will so that the proportion whichflows through either one of the outlets may be increased or diminishedwith relation to the outflow through the other outlet, the increase ordiminution in one being in inverse ratio to the variation in the other,the total outflow being always the same and equal to the inflow andwithout interruption in the total outflow, regardless of the variationin the ratio between the two outlets.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there is combined with thevalve'casing a plug having an exterior segmentalgroove Serial No.439,252.

which communicates with the inlet pipe and with either one or both ofthe outlet pipes according to the position of the plug, so that thefluid flows in the segmental groove in the outer periphery of theplug;This facilitates the cleansing of the plug. Another feature of theinvention relates to the form of the groove which is tapered at each endin such manner that the. combined cross sectional area of the portionsof the groove which at any one time connect with the outlet ports, shallbe equal to the cross-sectional area of the inlet port, and when theplug is turned to vary the relative proportions of the discharge fromthe two outlets, the combined areas of the two discharge outlets willalways be maintained the same, and the diminution in one will be exactlyequal" to the increase in the other.

The invention will be fully understood from the following descriptionwhen taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, and the novelfeatures will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at theclose of this specification.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a valve embodying the.invention. 7

Fig- 2 is avertical sectional view of the valve shown in Fig. l.

v Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are horizontal sectional views showing the valve withthe plug in threedifl'erent positions, Fig. 3 showing it with thepassage open from the inlet pipe to the right-hand outlet, and thepassage to the left-hand outlet being entirely closed.

Fig. 4 shows both outletpassages open.

Fig. 5 shows the left-hand outlet open and'the right-hand outlet closed.

Fig. 6 is a development showing the position of the grooved passage inthe plug in relation to the inlet and outlet slots of the casing as inFig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a development showing the relative positions as in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a development showing the positions. as in Fig. 5. I

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the application of the valve touse in a supply system.

Referring'now to the drawings, 1 represents the valve casing and 2 thevalve casing is formed with three ports 3, 4 and 5, preferably arranged90 apart, the

plug- The intermediate port 4 being an inlet port and the two ports 3and 5 respectively, being the outlet ports.

The casing is formed with tubular bosses 6, 7, 8, which respectivelyhave passages 13, 14, 15 connectedwith the said ports 3, 4, 5, and whichare constructed for connection with the inlet pipe 9 and theoutlet'pipes 1011.

The plug 2 is preferably taperedand is formed with a segmental groove 12which extends somewhat more than halfway around the periphery, being ofa sutficient length so that the plug may be adjusted in such positionthat the groove will connect with all three ports at the same time, asshown in Figure 4.

The ports 3, 4, 5 in the casing 1 are somewhat narrow elongated slots,as shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, the elongation being in the lengthwisedirection of the casing, that is vertically elongated when the valvestands in vertical position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, while thegroove 12 extends in a direction circumferentially of the periphery ofthe plug. The passages 13, 14, 15 respectively, formed in the bosses 6,7, 8 are circular in cross section so as to permit the pipes 9, 1t), 11to be connected with said bosses, but the said passages 13, 14, 15 wherethey pass through the walls of the casing merge into the elongated slots3, 4, 5 as already described. These slots 3, 4, 5 should preferably beall of the same size, and should be at least as long and preferably alittle longer than the width of the groove 12, as will be seen byreference to Figures 2, 6, 7, 8. The cross sectional area of the bore ofeach of the pipes 9, 10, and 11 should be at least as great as the crosssectional area of each of the slots 3, 4., 5.

The depth of the groove 12 should be the same throughout its length, aswill be seen by reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5. The groove should taperin width toward each end, as shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the taperbeing alike at each end, and the portion intermediate the two taperedportions should be of uniform width. Furthermore the combined length ofthe two tapered portions should be equal to the entire length of theintermediate untapered portion. Referring more particularly to Figures6, 7 and 8, the taper at the left-hand end extends from a to Z2, and atthe right-hand end extends from 0 to d, and the taper should be at auniform angle. The distance from a to Z2, plus the distance from c tocl, should be equal to the distance from b to (Z. The distance from a to(Z and from b to 'c of the groove should each be equal to the distancefrom-the slot 3 to the slot 5, measured from outside edge to outsideedge, and the overall length of the groove should exceed the over-alldistance between the slots 3 and 5 an amount equal to the length ofeither one of the tapered portions of the groove.

When the plug is in the position shown in Figure 3, the inlet slot 4 isuncovered and the outlet slot 3 is also uncovered, and both are open tothe wide part of the groove 12, as shown in Figure 6, while the outletslot 5 is entirely closed. In this position the full inlet flow from thepipe 3 will be carried out through the pipe 10.

When the plug is moved from the position shown in Figure 3 to theposition shown in Figure 4, it will cause the groove 12 to connect withboth outlet slots 3 and 5, as shown in Figure 7, so that the fluid willbe divided and part pass out through each of the slots 3 and 5. When,however, the plug-is in this position the tapered portions of the groove12 respectively open into the outlet slots 35, and the cross sectionalarea of both of the said open portions of the tapered part of thegroovewhich are in alignment with the two slots 3, 5, are together onlyequal to the cross sectional area of that portion of the wide part ofthe groove which is in alignment with the slot 3, when it was in theposition of Figure3, that is the cross sectional area of the openportion of the two outlets 3, 5, when in the position of Figure 4, isjust equal to the cross sectional area of the open portion of the singleoutlet slot 3 when in position of Figure 3. When the plug is movedaround into the position shown in Figure 5, it closes entirely theoutlet 3 and opens the outlet 5, so that the entire discharge goesthrough the outlet 5 while the outlet 3 is closed. At this time the slot5 is entirely uncovered and the slot 3 is entirely covered, as shown inFigures 5 and 8.

It will be obvious that by turning the plug to'an intermediate positionbetween Figures 3 and 4, or between Figures 4 and 5, the inlet slot 4will still remain uncovered and both the slots 3 and 5 will be open tothe tapered portions of the groove 12, and therefore partly covered, asshown in Figure 7. If the position be such that the slot 3 is open tothe groove 12 at onethird of the distance from 0 to (Z, then the slot 5will be open to said groove at two-thirds the distance from a to Z).Therefore, the cross sectional area of the passage through the port 5will be twice as great as that through the port 3, and thus there willbe twice as much carried out through the port 5 as through the port 3,but the total area of the uncovered portion of the slots 3, 5 will beequal to the area of the inlet slot 4.

Thus the proportions of the discharge through the ports 5 and 3 may bevaried to any ratio desired by moving the plug to the proper position,but the sum of the two outlet areas will always be equal to the inletarea.

Qil

' While in the drawings I have shown the two outlet ports as beingdiametrically opposite each other, this is not essential.

This valve is particularly adaptable for connection with supply systems,afi'ording constant hydraulic pressure within its pipe outlets of thevalve varies according to the crease of rotation of the pump.

necessity of the required quantity for treat ment. If the quantitythrough this outlet is decreased by turning the plug of the valve inconnection with the constant rotation of the pump, and if there is noreturn, an increase of hydraulic pressure will occur with the result'ofan lncrease of flow through a narrower space. It is evident, therefore,that with such an arrangement of'a return circuit, the quantity ofliquid not being allowed to pass through the one outlet will passthrough the other outlet and through the return circuit into the inletto the pump without suffering any waste on the part of the liquid,thereby acting so to speak as a safety valve to avoid an-increase ofhydraulic pressure. Without the return circuit, not only would thehydraulic pressure increase but also there will be an increase of flowof liquid through a narrower space with a perceptible increase offriction and a de- In the diagram shown in Figure 9, which illustrates apart of the device shown in the said application, Serial No. 357,778, apump 16 is shown. as supplying the liquid to the valve 1 through theinlet pipe 9. The outlet pipe 11 from the valve leads back to the inletto the pump. The outlet pipe 10 may lead to any point where it isdesired to deposit the liquid.

l/Vhat I claim is l. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet portand two outlet ports, theinlet port being intermediate the two outletports and at equal distances therefrom, in combination with a rotaryplug having a segmental groove in its periphery tapered alike at eachend, the said grooves being of uniform width between the two tapered endportions, the two tapered end portions being tapered in the directiontoward the ends by a uniform angle of taper throughout the length of thetaperedportion. i

' 2'. A valve comprising a casing having a inlet port and. two outletports, the inlet.

port being intermediate the two outlet ports and at equal distancestherefrom, in combination with a rotary plug having a segmental groovein its periphery tapered alike 'ateach end, the said groove being ofuniform width between the two tapered end portions, said taperedportions being each of a length equal to one-half of the length of theuntapered intermediate portions and tapering in the direction toward theends by a uniform angle of taper throughout the length of the taperedportion to a sharp pointed end, the combined length of the untaperedportion and of either one of the tapered portions being equal to thedistance between the further edge of either one of the outlet ports andthe most remote edge of the inlet ort.

3. valve comprising a casing l tving an inlet port and two outlet ports,the inlet port being intermediate the two outlet ports and at equaldistances therefrom, in combination with a rotary plug having asegmental groove in its periphery tapered alike toward each end, theangle of taper being uniform throughoutv the tapered portion, the saidgroove being of uniform width between the two tapered portions, the saidtwo tapered portions being each of one-half the length of the untaperedintermediate portion, the combined length of the untapered portion andof either one of the tapered portions being equal-to the distancebetween the farther edge of either one of the outlet ports and the mostremote edge of the inlet port, the increase ordiminution of theeffective area of discharge through either outlet caused by theadjustment of the plug being by equal gradations for each degree ofrotation of the plug in inverse ratio to the extent of variation in theeffective area of discharge through the other outlet.

4. A three-way valve comprising a casing having two outlet ports and aninlet port intermediate said outlet ports, in combination with a plughaving a segmental groove in its periphery, said groove having a middleportion of uniform width which merges into tapered end portions ofuniform angle of taper to-the ends of the groove, said plu beingadjustable so thatthe inlet port and either one or both of the outletports, as desired, may register with said groove, the increase ordiminution of the effective area of discharge through either outlet portcaused by the adjustment of the'plug being by equal gradations for eachdegree of rotation of the plug in inverse ratio to the extentofvariation in the effective area of discharge ing tapered, said plugbeing adjustable so that the inlet port and either one or both of theoutlet ports, as desired, may register with said groove, the increase ordiminution of the effective area of discharge through either outlet portcaused by the adjustment of the plug being in inverse ratio to theextent of variation in the effective area of discharge through the otheroutlet, the inlet port and either one or both of the outlet ports beingalways open, so that there is a continuous flow, the total area ofeffective discharge capacity being always the same regardless of thevariation in the ratio between the two outlets.

6. A three-way valve comprising a casing having two outlet ports, and aninlet port inter-mediate said outlet ports, in combination with a plughaving apassage which is adapted to communicate at will with either oneor both of said outlet ports according to the adjustment of the plug,said passage in the plug being so constructed that the plug may beadjusted to increaes or diminish the effective area of discharge througheither one of the outlets, and to thereby vary in inverse ratio theeffective area of discharge through the other outlet, the total outflowthrough both outlets being always the same regardless of the variationin the ratio of the effective area of discharge of the two outlets.

'4'. A three-way valve having an inlet and having two outlets whichmaintain a constant effective total area of discharge regardless of thevariation of the area of either one of the outlets.

8. A three-way valve having an inlet and having two outlets in which anyvariation in the effective area of discharge of either one of theout-lets is accompanied by an equal inverse variation in the effectivearea of discharge of the other outlet.

9. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet and two outlet ports, theinlet port being intermediate the two outlet ports and at equaldistances therefrom, said ports all being of narrow rectangular form ofequal size and elongated in a direction longitu-- dinally of the casing,in combination with a rotary plug having a segmental groove in itsperiphery tapered alike at each end, the said groove'being of uniformwidth between the two tapered portions, the longitudinal dimension ofeach of the ports being in the transverse direction of the said grooveand being at least as great as the width of the wider portion of saidgroove, the side edges of said ports being at right angles to theparallel sides of said groove.

10. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet and two outlet ports,the inlet port being intermediate the two outlet ports and at equaldistances therefrom, said ports all being of narrow rectangular form ofequal size and elongated in a direction longitudinally of the casing, incombination with a rotary plug having a segmental groove in itsperiphery tapered alike at each end, the said groove being of uniforrrrwidth between the two tapered portions, the longi: tudinal dimension ofeach of the ports being in the transverse direction of the said grooveand being at least as great as the width of the wider portion of saidgroove, the side edges of said ports being at, right angles to theparallel sides of side groove, the effective area of discharge througheither outlet being increased or diminished by equal gradation for eachdegree of rotation of the plug.

11. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet-and two outlet ports,the inlet port being intermediate the two outlet ports and at equaldistances therefrom, said ports all being of narrow rectangular formelongated in a direction longitudinally of the casing and of equal crosssectional area, in combination with av rotary plug having a segmentalgroove in its periphery tapered alike at each end, the tapered portionhaving a I uniform angle of taper throughout, the said groove being ofuniform width between the twotapered portions, the longitudinaldimension of each of the ports being at least as great as the widerportion of the groove, said ports intersecting said groove at rightangles to the parallel sides of the groove.

12. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet and two outlet ports,the inlet port being intermediate the two outlet ports and at equaldistances therefrom, said ports all being of narrow rectangular form ofequal size, in combination with a rotary plug having a segmental groovein its periphery tapered alike at each end, the said groove being ofuniform width between the two tapered port-ions, the side e'dgesof'saidports being at right angles to the parallel sides of said groove, thelongitudinal dimension of each of the ports being at least as great asthe width of the wider portion of said groove, the relative positions ofsaid inlet and outlet ports and segmental groove in the plug being suchthat when either one of the outletports begins to cut across thenarrowest part of the said groove the other outlet port will begin tocut across the widest part of said groove.

13. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet and two outlet ports,the inlet port being intermediate the two outlet ports and at equaldistances therefrom, said ports all being of narrow rectangularform ofequal size and elongated in a direction longitudinally of the casing, incombination with a rotary plug having a. segmental groove in itsperiphery tapered alike at each end, the said groove being of uniformwidth between the two tapered portions, the longitudinal dimension ofeach of the ports being in the transverse direction of the said grooveand at least as great as the width of the Wider portion of said groove,the side edges of said portsbeing at right angles to the parallel sidesof said groove, in combination with a pump having an outlet pipetherefrom which connects With the inlet port of the valveand suppliesfluid to the valve, a pipe which connects one of the outlet ports 1 ofthe valve back to the pump, and a pipe leading from the other outletport of the valve to the desired point of supply.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

RUDOLF sYKoRA.

